Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Wild Edibles

I get Fridays off of work, something for which I am extremely grateful. A couple months ago, Tracy asked me if I could come over Friday afternoons and teach some sort of lesson or do some sort of activity with the boys. A few weeks in I decided to go outside and identify various plants for them.

This worked pretty well, despite the fact that I had forgotten my wildflower book, and that there was one flower which I was almost sure was Henbit, but not sure enough to impress it upon young minds (it was). To make up for it, I brought my wildflower book, our wild edible book, and our bird book to our next meeting.

Now, every time I go over Edmund will have new flowers to show me. "Did you bring the flower book?" Last week I visited with them for a little while, and we saw some field sorrel (or wood sorrel, not entirely sure on the difference), so I told Edmund it was edible. When I came over on Friday I again told them it was edible, and we all ate some. I also showed them clover, telling them that it is edible too.

After I taught the 6 year-old, the 4 year-old and the 3 year-old that these flowers were edible, I realized my mistake. Jack (Jeremiah) started picking every yellow flower in sight saying, "I tan eat dis. I tan eat dis," and popping them in his mouth. I then told him, in a very serious voice that he should only eat plants outside if he asks someone if they are fine. After all, some plants can hurt you.

He then went on picking every yellow flower and eating them, changing his chant to, "Dis not hurt me. Dis not hurt me. Dis not hurt me."

I'm very glad that the only yellow flowers in that area were clover and field sorrel.